Merrill truck driver struck and killed by tractor-trailer near Indianapolis while trying to help in another crash

INDIANAPOLIS — A Merrill truck driver trying to help at a crash scene was struck and killed early Wednesday, May 21, on the west side of Indianapolis, according to Indiana State Police.

Approximately 3:54 a.m. Wednesday, Indiana State troopers were dispatched to Interstate 70 westbound at the 70.7 mile marker for a two-vehicle rollover crash, the Indiana State Police reports.

The first arriving officer, an Indianapolis Airport Authority police officer, reported that a man had been struck by a semitrailer, police said, and the preliminary investigation revealed that the crash scene involved two separate crashes.

The first crash, reported at 3:54 a.m., was reported as a rollover crash and the wreckage came to rest in the center and right lane of I-70 westbound.

The second crash occurred when Jack Yancer, 56, of Merrill, Michigan, stopped to assist at the first crash, police said.

Investigators believe that Yancer stopped his International tractor-trailer on the right-side emergency shoulder and went to the first crash scene to assist. Authorities believe Yancer was in the center lane attempting to warn and direct traffic away from the first crash when he was struck by a 2007 Freightliner semi-tractor trailer operated by George Parby, 53, of Urbana, Illinois.

Yancer was pronounced dead at the scene by the Marion County Coroner’s office, police said. Parby was not injured.

Troopers are not certain of Yancer’s actions in the center lane of I-70 prior to being struck, police said. There were no witnesses to the crash.

Parby was transported to Eskenazi Hospital for a blood draw. Neither drugs nor alcohol are believed to be a contributing factor in the crash. Once completed, the crash report will be submitted to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office for review and any possible charges.

Troopers investigating the initial crash arrested a 24-year-old woman from Mooresville, Indiana, and are recommending charges of operating while intoxicated. She had a 0.11 blood alcohol level at the Marion County Arrestee Processing Center where she was incarcerated, police said.

Phillips and the driver of the second car involved in the initial crash, Terren Price, 54, of Beech Grove, Indiana, were not injured.

All I-70 westbound traffic was diverted at the 73 mile marker to north- and southbound I-465 during the crash investigation. All I-70 westbound lanes were reopened to traffic at 7:44 a.m. Wednesday.